Tuesday, December 30, 2014

The
other day I had a luncheon with several other pastors.Personally, I hate getting together with
groups of pastors.It normally becomes
all about sizing people up and comparing churches.Nevertheless, I was invited, and being
reasonably new to the area, I decided to go.

I pulled
into the parking lot of the designated location, let out a sigh, and got out of
the car.Another one of the pastors met
me as I entered, and we sat at a table together.Before long, the table began to fill up until
all eight men were there, and let it be known, I’m the youngest at the table by
probably 20-plus-years.

Introductions
were made and conversation began; however, none of the conversation centered on
church.It was delightful.These men, much my senior, were witty,
interesting, kind, attentive, and very diverse in their experience.That last part is the one thing that stood
out the most.As I listened to the
conversation, I found out that one man was a former Recon Marine and police
chief who now served as a pastor.Another
man had ridden bulls along with a dozen other unique experiences.One man was a thirty-plus-year veteran
referee.

Reflecting
in the car on the drive home, I realized something.I almost missed out on meeting these
wonderful men.I didn’t want to go,
because I assumed it would be older, boring pastors who just wanted the status
quo and to size up one another.

The
only thing I was right about was that they were older; however, that was the
best thing about the meeting.They had
stories.They had this rich background
of life from which I could learn and sit in awe.They had experiences that they were readily
willing to share, and they loved Jesus.

Writing
now, I realize that I’ve missed out on a lot of stories in the room.I’ve spent far too much time in my life
seeking to be known by others and not seeking to know others.I gravitate towards those my age and below
while unintentionally neglecting those older than me.In doing so, I miss out on a beautiful depth
of life and experience.Looking back, I
wonder how many lessons and friendships have been missed because I haven’t asked
or, worse, I haven’t listened to the stories of the lives of the elder saints
in the room.

These
men are supposed to get together once a month. I can’t wait to join them, because now I know
that wherever they are, there are stories in the room.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Joanna Harris is an author and blogger with a tremendous
passion for God. You can contact Joanna here. For more on Joanna and her ministry, check
out her website here. There you can also find links to her other
blogs.

I had a rather strange dream last night. Well, most of
my dreams are strange, but this one still has me thinking.

In this dream, as often happens in my dreams, I was
involved in some sort of conflict. As the "bad" guys came toward me,
I somehow knocked down the first man, even though he was huge and obviously
strong. Then, suddenly, he became the one who stopped all the other bad guys. I
was surprised, but grateful.

Then he looked at me. In his eyes I saw a love deeper
and stronger than I can describe. He didn't say a word, but I knew he loved me.
And, it wasn't the same look as someone who is simply "in love" with
me. It was a strong, solid love that would protect me at all costs, even
sacrifice himself for me.

I was stunned.

The dream moved on, as dreams do. But the other bad
guys hadn't given up. They tried to get me by pushing some kind of wall over on
me. I was trapped in a tiny space as the wall slowly lowered on top of me. I
crawled through the little tunnel space, trying to get to the end so I could
get out.

My hand was barely at the opening, and the wall was
almost crushing me, when I was pulled out by strong hands. I looked up into the
same loving eyes as before. Once again he spoke no words, just looked at me
with deepest love.

That was the end of the dream. There was no resolution
to the original conflict, just the knowledge that I was loved, and loved more
deeply than I ever expected.

I'm very grateful for all of the loving people God has
blessed me to know. I certainly haven't had a lack of love in my life.

Yet, I think that love is a gift that needs to be
received, not just acknowledged. Knowing that someone loves me is different
than receiving their love with gratitude.

I think part of learning to receive love is
understanding the source of love.

God is love. All love comes from Him. And His love is
higher, deeper, wider, and longer than anything we can imagine (Eph.
3:17-19)!

God's love for us is so intense that He actually gave
His own Son, Jesus, to die for our sins (John 3:16) -

*so that we would no longer be God's enemies (Col.
1:21-22)

*so that we could be rescued from death, despair, fear,
loneliness, darkness... (Heb. 2:14-15)

*so that we could find everything we need in the vast
riches of God's love (Ps. 63).

God's love is powerful!

As we understand God's love better, I think we'll
recognize His love expressed to us through others. And, as we learn to
gratefully receive love from God and others, it brings continual healing - to
our heart, mind, soul, and even physical body.

When I got up this morning, I wasn't feeling well, but
I pushed myself to fix some breakfast. As I sat down to eat, I remembered my
dream. I saw again those eyes of love looking back at me. And I couldn't help
but smile.

There is something very powerful in believing that I
am loved.

So if you haven't heard it in a while, I want to tell
you right now - You are loved.

You are valued.

You are cherished.

You are treasured.

You are delighted in.

You are fully known and fully loved by an awesome God,
with a love that is far beyond anything you've ever imagined!

Please receive His love with gratitude. Let it put a
smile on your face and a song in your heart. Let it heal things you never
thought could be healed. Let it strengthen you. Let it flow through you to
others who need to know they are loved as well.

"This is how God showed His love among us: He
sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This
is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an
atoning sacrifice for our sins.

And so we know and rely on the love God has for
us." -1 John 4:9-10, 16a

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I
have drawn you with loving-kindness." -Jeremiah 31:3

* When I’m on the lake, I see the beauty
of God’s creation and hear his voice so clearly.That’s church for me.

But, these
answers imply that God wants people to gather as the church exclusively to learn
about him or worship him. However, what
if there was more?

Here is a
question many people do not wrestle with, “What has God designed to happen uniquely
at ‘church’?”

One passage
that provides insight into that question is Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us
consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to
meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all
the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

The
biblical author exhorts the reader to consider how to stir up other believers
to love and good works.The
solution?Meet regularly with one another,
and in those meetings, encourage one another to be faithful in light of the
immanent return of King Jesus.

According
to this text, here is a key reason to gather regularly as the church.Encouragement.

Believers
can demonstrate faith in isolation (Heb 10:22).Believers can develop hope when they are alone (Heb 10:23); however,
acts of love require other people, and the church is called to stir up these
acts of love by encouraging one another in light of “the Day drawing near.”

So, the
church “Gathers to Encourage.”Certainly, learning about God through the accurate preaching of his word
(2 Tim 4:2) and worshipping him (John 4:20-24) are part of it, but
encouragement is a key element that must not be missed.

This Sunday
believers will be tempted to sleep in.They will be tempted to just spend another weekend on the beach or at
the game.For those who regularly do
this and neglect the meeting together of God’s people, they cause others to
miss out on something.Notice, the issue
isn’t that they are missing something, but they cause others to miss
something.Their presence means someone
is not there to encourage others, someone is not there to lift up the broken,
minister to the hurting, challenge the complacent, all in light of the return
of their King.Believers should regular
meet together to encourage others, because someone is going to show up that
needs them.

What if,
instead of seeking to get something, Christians gathered to give
something?What if they persisted in
encouraging those that come on Sunday mornings.

Imagine
what church might look like if believers adopted this biblical approach to
meeting together?

The love
and support that would fill church would become intoxicating.It would eventually overflow into other areas
of their lives.It would change how they
speak to their spouses and kids.It
would change their understanding of their purpose in this world and in meeting
together.It would signify a realization
that everyone has a role to play.They
would become active participants and not passive receivers.

And, lives
would be changed because of it! People’s
futures would be rewritten because the church took the time to care, the church
took the time to notice, and the church took the time to encourage.